Reusable container

ABSTRACT

A reusable container comprises a base comprising a pair of frame members, a pair of end pieces and a center section, wherein the base is provided with a plurality of tab slots, a lid provided with a plurality of tab slots, and at least one wall comprising a plurality of locking tabs formed as unitary extensions of the wall, wherein the plurality of locking tabs engage the plurality of tab slots, securing the to the base and to the lid. A back brace carrier having at least one rib formed as a unitary extension of the back brace carrier cooperates with a rib on the lid to removably captivate a back brace. The back brace provides support for the product. The walls may have a length and define a first plane, and have unitary exterior ribs running along the length. The walls also have unitary corner flanges formed at a right angle to the first plane.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/655,942 filed on Feb. 24, 2005.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to improvements in packaging and shipping containers, and more particularly to improved returnable and reusable containers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Containers can be made of a wide variety of materials, depending upon the design requirements of the container. For example, containers made only of wood are relatively durable and are capable of carrying relatively heavy loads. However, the cost of the wood material and the labor for initial assembly may be quite high. Multiple re-uses of wood containers are possible, but such known containers are not easily collapsible for return transport. Thus, relatively large amounts of space are required for return transport of such containers.

It is known to manufacture containers of corrugated material, e.g., corrugated cardboard or a combination of corrugated materials and wood. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,448 discloses a wood pallet with recyclable cardboard side walls. Such containers are limited in strength and in carrying capacity. Further, where re-use of containers is desired, as is the case with returnable packaging, known containers will withstand only limited re-use. Also, while some known containers may be collapsed to allow for compact return transportation, much work is needed to reconstruct the container for re-use.

It would be desirable to provide a reusable container for transporting heavy, yet fragile materials which is structurally robust yet relatively low in cost, and easy to assemble and disassemble.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with a first aspect, a reusable container comprises a base comprising a pair of frame members, a pair of end pieces and a center section, wherein the base is provided with a plurality of tab slots, a lid provided with a plurality of tab slots, and at least one wall comprising a plurality of locking tabs formed as unitary extensions of the wall, wherein the plurality of locking tabs engage the plurality of tab slots, securing the to the base and to the lid. In accordance with another aspect, a back brace carrier having at least one rib formed as a unitary extension of the back brace carrier cooperates with a rib on the lid to removably captivate a back brace. The back brace provides support for the product. In accordance with another aspect, the walls may have a length and define a first plane, and have unitary exterior ribs running along the length. The walls also have unitary corner flanges formed at a right angle to the first plane.

From the foregoing disclosure and the following more detailed description of various preferred embodiments it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention provides a significant advance in the technology of returnable containers. Particularly significant in this regard is the potential the invention affords for providing a high quality, low cost returnable container. Additional features and advantages of various preferred embodiments will be better understood in view of the detailed description provided below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container suitable for re-use in accordance with a preferred embodiment containing windshields.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the base, end pieces, central section and of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an isolated perspective view of the back brace in accordance with a preferred embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an isolated perspective view of a clip in accordance with a preferred embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an isolated perspective view of an end wall in accordance with a preferred embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an isolated perspective view of a side wall in accordance with a preferred embodiment.

FIGS. 7-8 are isolated perspective top and underside views, respectively, of a pair of lid walls in accordance with a preferred embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the end wall to end piece connection, showing an optional end cap covering an opening to a pallet trough.

FIG. 10 is a close up perspective view of the side wall to lid connection.

It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various preferred features illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the returnable container as disclosed here will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment. Certain features of the illustrated embodiments have been enlarged or distorted relative to others to enhance visualization and clear understanding. In particular, thin features may be thickened, for example, for clarity of illustration. All references to direction and position, unless otherwise indicated, refer to the orientation illustrated in the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that is, to those who have knowledge or experience in this area of technology, that many uses and design variations are possible for the reusable container disclosed here. The following detailed discussion of various alternative and preferred features and embodiments will illustrate the general principles of the invention with reference to a reusable container particularly suitable for use with window fixtures, such as windshields, rear windows and other glass sheets. Other embodiments suitable for other applications will be apparent to those skilled in the art given the benefit of this disclosure.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a perspective, assembled view of a reusable container or crate 10 suitable for carrying a product such as windshields 54. The container 10 has a base or pallet 20, side walls 90, 91, end walls, 80, 81 mounted generally perpendicular to the base, and a lid comprising lid walls 100, 101 mounted generally perpendicular to the side walls and end walls. A back brace 70 supports the product and extends between the lid walls and the pallet 20 directly. Alternatively, as shown in the Figs., the back brace 70 is mounted on a back brace carrier 60 sitting on the pallet center section 30. Banding 52 wraps around the product 54 and is threaded through openings 95 in the side walls 90, 91, and down through the back brace carrier 60 and pallet 20. The banding 52 is used to hold the product in place during transport. Clips 50 secure the base to each of the side walls 90, 91 and end walls 80, 81, and secure the lid walls 100, 101 to the side walls and end walls. The base 20 is preferably provided with side channels 26, 27 for receiving a forklift.

Preferably the base 20, walls 80, 81, 90, 91, back brace 70, back brace carrier and lid walls 100, 101 all comprise a wood composite material formed by a molding process. This is highly advantageous as it allows for reinforcing ribs 96, columns 97, flanges 84, 85 and similar structural features to be incorporated as unitary (one-piece) extensions of the components, greatly enhancing the strength, column loading, and durability of the container 10. “Wood composite” material, as the term is used herein, may be described as being made from wood materials, primarily in the form of particles, flakes and/or fibers, combined with a resin, typically a thermoset resin, and bonded at an elevated temperature and elevated pressure, typically in a heated pressing device. Wood composite products advantageously use waste products from other processes, thus creating an environmental benefit. Wood composite materials are also resistant to insect infestation. Recent concern with international shipment of goods in containers made of materials which may harbor insects makes use of materials such as wood composite material particularly desirable. The wood used in the some known current packaging must be heat treated and is not accepted by some countries. Wood composite materials may be as strong, or stronger than wood, are in most cases, cost competitive with wood and may also be more dimensionally stable and moisture resistant than wood. The wood composite crate shown should have four to five times the life of known conventional corrugated board crate designs used for returnable packaging.

FIG. 2 shows the various components of the pallet/base 20, along with back brace carrier 60 in accordance with the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1. Two generally elongate frame members 23, 24 are shown, each defining a respective trough 21, 22 and each having corresponding channels 26, 27 for receiving a forklift. Mounted at ends of the frame members are end pieces 40, 41. Each end piece has a trough 44 forming alignment flanges 43 which cooperate with alignment flanges 42 to position the end pieces over the frame members 23, 24. Clip slots 34 are provided to receive clips connecting the end walls 80, 81 to the pallet, and tab slots 32 are provided to receive unitary tabs 92 extending from the end walls. The end walls may be bonded to the frame members with an adhesive.

Also bonded to the frame members 23, 24 is a center section 30. Center section 30 has a central pocket 37 and downwardly extending flanges 39 which cooperate to align the center section over the frame members 23, 24 in much the same way as trough 44 and flanges 42 cooperate to align the end pieces 40, 41 over the frame members. Center section 30 is also provided with a plurality of openings and slots: tab slots 32 adapted to receive tabs 92 on side walls 90, 91; clip slots 34 adapted to receive clips 50 connecting side walls 90, 91 to base 20; and banding holes 35, 36 adapted to receive banding 52 to wrap around the product.

In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the pallet 20 is formed from the frame members 23, 24, end pieces, 40, 41, and center section 30. During assembly and disassembly, these components, having been glued together, would preferably stay together as one piece. Positioned on top of the center section is the back brace carrier 60. Back brace carrier 60 is preferably removable during disassembly. Carrier 60 has a pocket 65 which snugly nests in central pocket 37 of the center section 30, and has a series of ribs 64 which cooperate with ribs 109 of the lid, shown in FIG. 8 to support the back brace 70, shown in FIG. 3. Banding 52 is threaded through banding holes and notches 66, 67, which are aligned with banding holes 35, 36, respectively, in the center section 30. The product is typically positioned on runners 62, which may optionally be provided with foam padding or other cushioning material to help reduce the likelihood of damage to the product as it is shipped.

The back brace 70, shown in FIG. 3, is designed to provide a wall to rest the product against. Back brace 70 preferably has a pair of reinforcing ribs 72 running along its length, and banding holes 36 to receive banding. A second pair of banding holes 36 can be provided. Even though banding would normally only be routed through one pair of holes, a symmetrical design allows for easier assembly.

In accordance with a highly advantageous feature, clips 50 are used to connect the pallet 20 to the side walls 90, 91 and end walls 80, 81, and to connect the side walls and end walls to the lid walls 100, 101. The clips 50 are simple to install, greatly reduce assembly and disassembly times, and remove the need for exterior banding, nails, or other difficult to remove fasteners. The clips 50 are inserted into clip slots 34, one each on two different components to secure the components together. FIG. 4 shows a preferred fastener (clip 50) which secures the position of each of the walls 80, 81, 90, 91 to the base 20 and secures the lid walls 100, 101 of the crate 10 to the walls 80, 81, 90, 91. Clips 50 are preferably made of a flexible metal material having certain spring-like qualities to allow such fasteners to lock into slots 34 formed into the wood composite material. Preferably, the clips 50 are formed as shown having an L-shaped clip-type fastener of a heavy gauge metal wire. Most preferably the angle α formed by the clip is slightly acute, e.g., about 87 degrees, so that some resilient force is brought to bear on the two components which are fastened together.

FIG. 5 shows an end wall 81 and FIG. 6 shows a side wall 90. Preferably both walls are mounted in a plane 96 generally perpendicular to the base 20 and to the lid walls 100, 101. Optionally, the end walls and side walls may be essentially identical. This helps simplify assembly and disassembly of the container 10 and reduces the possibility for improper assembly. The walls each have tabs 92 which are adapted to fit into tab slots 32 formed on the base (at end pieces 40, 41 and center section 30) and on the lid walls 100, 101 (shown in FIGS. 7-8). Unitary tabs 92, formed as a one-piece extension of the walls, hold the walls together with the lid and base, allowing for the clips 50 to be installed. The walls as shown also have unitary exterior ribs 96 running the length of the walls 81, 90, and also have unitary exterior channels 97 which are shaped similar to the ribs except that the channels do not run the entire length of the wall. Ribs 96 and channels 97 are offset from the rest of the wall such that they are still perpendicular to the base, but are in a second plane 57 offset from a first plane 56 of the wall. These ribs 96 and channels 97 advantageously cooperate to increase the strength of the walls. The vertically ribbed configuration provides substantially greater strength than a flat panel. The specific dimensions of the ribs 96 are optimized prior to molding to provide the desired bearing strength. The placement of, and the curved shape of, the reinforcing channels 97 are designed to optimize the strength of the base component to provide a desired load capacity for the base component. It has been found that the curved shapes of the reinforcing channels 97, rather than square or rectilinear shapes, provide greater strength per unit area.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the walls are generally planar, with each wall 81, 90 having a corresponding width 181, 190, and a length 281, 290, respectively. However, the ribs, channels and flanges define an irregular, non-planar cross section. This is highly advantageous in that it increases the strength and durability of the components of the container. For example, unitary corner flanges 84, 85 are provided generally at a right angle to the width of the corresponding wall at vertical ends 98, 99 of the walls. Such corner flanges help increase the stacking strength of the walls. Known reusable packaging requires separate reinforcing members to increase stacking strength.

Preferably the walls 80, 81, 90, 91 do not connect with each other to close off the sides of the crate 10. This advantageously allows the product to be visible, reducing the likelihood concealed product damage. This is considered especially desirable where the product is relatively fragile, as is the case with glass. Other wall geometries will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, given the benefit of this disclosure. For example, instead of four walls, a single cylindrical or semi-cylindrical shaped wall can be used.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show the lid walls 100, 101. Preferably the lid walls are essentially identical, as with the side walls and end walls, again helping to make assembly and disassembly easier. Providing lid walls 100, 101 having the same dimensions avoids the problems of maintaining adequate supplies of different size panels at locations where the containers are assembled or may be re-assembled. Initial manufacturing costs may also be reduced. Each wall 100, 101 is provided with a series of ribs 109 which cooperate with ribs 64 on the back brace carrier 60 to mount the back brace 70. Tab slots 32 on the receive tabs 92 from the walls 80, 81, 90, 91 and clip slots 34 receive clips from the end walls. Banding holes 36 are again provided, including redundant banding holes on the lid wall not contacting the back brace.

In accordance with a highly advantageous feature, the reusable containers may be stacked together. As discussed above, the walls are sufficiently structurally robust to allow for stacking. Elongate channels 108 on the lids are provided to receive the bottom of frame members 23, 24 of a container immediately above.

Advantageously, returnable and reusable containers or crates 10 disclosed herein “knock-down” into a relatively flat, compact shape, allowing for more crates to be placed on, for example, a truck or railroad car, for ease of return and storage. The crate 10 also significantly increases the amount of crates that can be returned in a truck trailer, by as much as a 9 to 1 ratio over current returnable containers packaging.

FIG. 9 shows a side view showing the connection of the clip 50 between the end wall 80 and the end piece 40. An end piece cover 45 covers trough 21 on frame member 23. A small opening 53 allows the clip to extend to the clip slot on end piece 40 (not shown) and the other end of the clip engages the end wall 80 at clip slot 34. Trough 44 defines alignment flange 43, which cooperates with 42 to align the end piece 40 with respect to the frame member 23. FIG. 10 shows a similar connection between the lid wall 101 and end wall 80. Clip 50 is preferably positioned generally adjacent corner flange 84 and remote from vertical channel 97.

From the foregoing disclosure and detailed description of certain preferred embodiments, it will be apparent that various modifications, additions and other alternative embodiments are possible without departing from the true scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiments discussed were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to use the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled. 

1. A reusable container for transporting a product comprising, in combination: a base comprising a pair of frame members, a pair of end pieces and a center section; a lid, comprising at least one lid wall; and at least one wall having vertical ends, operatively connecting the base to the lid, mounted generally perpendicular to the base and to the lid in a first plane, the at least one wall comprising at least one unitary exterior rib offset from the first plane, and at least one unitary corner flange formed at about a right angle to the first plane at one of the vertical ends.
 2. The reusable container of claim 1 further comprising locking tabs formed as unitary extensions of the at least one wall, and tab slots formed in the base and in the lid, wherein the locking tabs engage corresponding tab slots.
 3. The reusable container of claim 2 wherein the tab slots are formed on the end pieces and on the center section.
 4. The reusable container of claim 1 wherein the base, lid and at least one wall comprise a molded wood composite.
 5. The reusable container of claim 1 comprising at least two walls, both mounted to the base and to the lid, wherein the walls are separate from one another.
 6. The reusable container of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of clips and corresponding clip slots positioned on the base, at least one lid wall and at least one wall, wherein the clips operatively engage the clip slots, connecting the lid wall to the at least one wall and the base to the at least one wall.
 7. The reusable container of claim 6 wherein the clip is formed with an acute angle of about 87 degrees.
 8. The reusable container of claim 1 wherein the center section has a center pocket and unitary alignment flanges which cooperate to align the center section over the frame members.
 9. The reusable container of claim 1 wherein the end pieces each have a trough defining an alignment flange which cooperates with a unitary alignment flange to align the end pieces over the frame members.
 10. The reusable container of claim 1 further comprising two lid walls, each having a channel adapted to be wide enough to receive a corresponding frame member.
 11. The reusable container of claim 1 further comprising four walls, wherein the walls are essentially identical.
 12. The reusable container of claim 1 wherein the at least one wall has a length and the unitary exterior rib runs the length of the at least one wall.
 13. The reusable container of claim 12 wherein the at least one wall further comprises a channel running less than the length of the at least one wall.
 14. A reusable container for transporting a product comprising, in combination: a base comprising a pair of frame members, a pair of end pieces and a center section, wherein the base is provided with a plurality of tab slots; a lid provided with a plurality of tab slots and comprising at least one lid wall; and at least one wall comprising a plurality of locking tabs formed as unitary extensions of the wall, wherein the plurality of locking tabs engage the plurality of tab slots, securing the at least one wall to the base and to the lid.
 15. The reusable container of claim 14 further comprising a plurality of clips and corresponding clip slots positioned on the base, at least one lid wall and at least one wall, wherein the clips operatively engage the clip slots, connecting the lid wall to the at least one wall and the base to the at least one wall.
 16. A reusable container for transporting a product comprising, in combination: a base comprising a pair of frame members, a pair of end pieces and a center section; a lid comprising a pair of lid walls, each lid wall comprising at least one rib formed as a unitary extension of the corresponding lid wall; four walls operatively connecting the base and the lid; a back brace carrier having at least one rib formed as a unitary extension of the back brace carrier a back brace, adapted to be removably captivated between the at least one rib on the lid and the at least one rib on the back brace carrier and to provide a support for the product.
 17. The reusable container of claim 16 wherein the back brace carrier and back brace comprise a molded wood composite.
 18. The reusable container of claim 16 wherein the back brace carrier is formed separate from the base.
 19. The reusable container of claim 18 wherein the center section defines a center pocket and the back brace carrier has a pocket which nests in the center pocket.
 20. The reusable container of claim 16 further comprising banding holes formed in the wall, the back brace, back brace carrier and center section adapted to receive banding to secure the product against the back brace. 